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REV.  SYLVESTER  EARj^ED. 


"TAe  brifr/itest  star  in  evening's  train 
Sets  enrlujst  in  the  rvestern  main — 
Tlic  brightest  star  in  mornings''  host 
Scarce  ris^n,  in  brighter  birinis  is  losty 

James  Montgomery. 


A  a  2 


BIOGRArHY  OF 

SYLVESTER  EARNED. 


The  Rev.  Sylvester  Larned,  the  subject  of  this  me- 
moir, was  born  in  Pittsfield,  (Mass.)  August  31st,  1796, 
and  was  the  son  of  Col.  Simon  Larned,  an  officer  of  high 
standing  in  the  American  army.  It  is  said  that  tlic 
germ  of  that  commanding  eloquence,  for  which  he  was 
so  much  distinguished  in  life,  began  to  be  seen  and  felt 
at  the  tenderest  age.  When  quite  a  boy,  while  sporting 
with  his  brother  on  one  occasion,  he  laid  a  wager  with 
him  that  he  could  make  him  weep  by  talking  to  him. 
There  was  at  that  time  nothing  solemn  in  their  situation 
or  employment.  But  he  commenced  his  appeal;  and 
such  was  the  mighty  power  of  tlie  young  orator's  pathos, 
that  in  a  very  short  time  he  actually  melted  down  his 
brother  into  unwilling  tears;  and  then,  with  a  wagish 
taunt,  claimed  his  prize.  At  the  early  age  of  thirteen, 
he  was  chosen  by  his  fellow-students  of  the  Academy  of 
Pittsfield,  to  deliver  an  oration  on  the  Anniversary  of 
our  country's  independence.  This  he  did  with  a  self- 
possession  and  a  power,  which  surprised  even  those  who 
admired  him  most.  In  his  class  he  led  v/ithout  an  ef- 
fort; always  idle,  yet  always  eminent,  it  became  a  sub- 


290  BIOGRAPHY  OF 

jcct  of  great  surprise,  how  this  peculiar  boy  could,  by  a 
glance  of  thought,  range  his  whole  department  of  study, 
and  without  ever  seeming  to  fix  his  attention  upon  his 
book,  become  familiar  with  its  contents. 

In  his  fourteenth  year,  he  became  a  member  of  Wil- 
liams  College,  (Mass.)  but  his  instability  of  character  in 
so  extreme  youth,  soon  subjected  him  to  the  censure  of 
the  ruling  authorities.  He  therefore  left  this  Institu- 
tion ;  but  he  afterwards  attached  himself  to  Middlebury 
College,  (Vt.)  In  the  early  part  of  his  course  here,  also, 
he  was  wild  and  unsettled.  The  elements  of  his  cha- 
racter were,  by  nature,  tempestuously  strong.  His  early 
life  was  marked  by  a  constant  tendency  to  excess,  and 
his  great  activity  of  mind  made  him  impatient  of  con- 
trol. It  was  not  until  he  had  reached  his  senior  year, 
that  the  hand  of  God  arrested  him.  Of  the  particulars 
of  this  most  important  event  of  his  life,  and  of  the  steps 
by  wliich  he  was  led  on  to  this  result  of  mercy,  we  are 
almost  wholly  ignorant.  This  cannot  be  too  much 
lamented.  In  a  case  so  striking,  every  circumstance 
would,  probably,  be  eminently  interesting  and  instruc 
live.  It  is  said,  however,  that  his  convictions  of  sin 
were  deep  and  awful ;  the  work  rapid,  conclusive,  and 
thorough  ;  and  the  change  truly  transforming. 

Soon  after  this,  he  declared  it  to  be  the  great  purpose 
of  his  life  to  serve  God  in  the  holy  Ministry.  And  in 
pursuance  of  this  determination,  after  taking  his  first 
<iegree,  at  the  early  age  of  seventeen,  he  formed  a  con- 
nexion with  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Andover,  in 


REV.  SYLVESTER   LARNEU.  291 

the  autumn  of  1813,  lie  left  that  Institution,  however, 
after  the  lapse  of  a  single  term,  and  returned  home. 
During  the  period  of  his  continuance  there,  which  did 
not  exceed  a  single  year,  he  conducted  a  Grammar 
School,  carrying  on,  at  the  same  time,  his  preparations 
for  the  Ministry. 

In  the  autumn  of  1815,  he  was  led  to  form  a  con- 
nexion with  this  Seminary.*  Here  every  step  assumes 
new  interest,  and  an  increasing  importance  accom- 
panies every  development  of  his  unusual  character. 
At  this  most  solemn  point,  we  would  gladly  surrender 
tlie  subject  to  those  who  were  members  of  the  same  little 
band,  and  who  felt,  and  thought,  and  acted  with  him. 
They,  who  in  the  process  of  preparation  knew  him  here 
most  familiarly,  and  marked,  in  the  successive  stages, 
the  formation  of  his  character,  possessed  materials,  the 
lack  of  which  renders  our  best  attempts  at  faithful  history 
extremely  imperfect.  Yet  even  to  those  who  were  ha- 
bitually with  him,  the  unbroken  uniformity,  and  noise- 
less progress  of  a  course  of  study  here,  give  nothing  pro- 
minent in  which  character  may  be  read,  but  the  drift  and 
general  effect.  Judging  in  this  way,  the  result  upon 
the  whole  bore  a  pleasing  testimony  to  our  departed 
brother's  advancement  in  knowledge  and  in  grace.  He 
was  a  man  of  strong  feeling,  and  of  much  action.  Pa- 
tient assiduity,  and  uniform  habits  of  mind,  were  not  so 
conspicuous  during  his  connexion  with  this  Institution. 
He  thought  more  than  he  read,  he  acted  and  said  more 

*  At  Princeton,  K.  J. 


292  BIOGRAPHY  OF 

than  he  thought.  His  mind  was  uncommonly  inde- 
pendent, original,  rapid,  and  rich;  so  that  he  made  much 
of  little,  and  required  much  less  preparation  and  thought 
than  ordinary  men  to  act  his  part  with  effect. 

But  there  was  an  evident  and  most  promising  increase 
of  strength  of  mJnd,  of  knowledge,  and  of  personal 
piety,  during  his  course  of  study  here.  It  is  pleasing  to 
know,  that  he  was  often  very  actively  engaged  in  doing 
good  around  him,  while  a  member  of  this  Institution. 
To  the  college  he  seems  especially  to  have  been  ten- 
derly  drawn.  He  exerted  a  great  influence  over  the 
minds  of  the  youth  generally;  and  it  is  believed  that  in 
more  cases  than  one,  he  was  the  honoured  instrument  of 
converting  to  God  those  who  have  since  preached  the 
Gospel  themselves.  His  religious  feelings  are  said  to 
have  been  greatly  revived  within  him  during  the  last 
year  of  his  stay  here.  He  had  spent  a  short  period  of 
time  in  Elizabethtown  and  Newark,  during  the  work  of 
God  in  those  places  in  the  early  months  of  the  year 
1817.  From  these  sacred  scenes  he  returned  to  Prince- 
ton deeply  revived;  and  ever  after  while  here,  threw 
much  more  of  the  true  spirit  into  all  his  duties,  intellec- 
tual and  spiritual.  It  was  at  this  time,  especially,  that 
he  laboured  most  faithfully  and  successfully  in  the 
College. 

In  the  summer  of  1817  he  was  licensed  to  preach  the 
Gospel  by  the  Presb3^tery  of  New  York.  The  impres- 
sion which  he  made  upon  the  public  mind  was  instanta- 
neous, and  very  deep.  Crowds  began  immediately  to 
gather  around  him  wherever  he  preached ;  overflowing 


REV.  SYLVESTER  LARNED.  293 

congregations  hung  in  rapture  on  his  lips,  and  were 
melted  down  under  the  power  of  his  eloquence.  Some 
have  thought  that  so  much  popular  impression  has  been 
made  by  no  man  so  young,  in  this  country,  since  the 
days  of  Whitefield. 

About  this  time  the  claims  of  Louisiana,  upon  the 
Christian  Church,  began  to  be  strongly  felt.  The 
standard  of  Christ  Jesus  had  scarcely  ever  been  erected 
in  the  city  of  New  Orleans,  though  the  centre  alike  of 
a  large  population  and  an  immense  influence.  The  Rev. 
Mr.  E.  Cornelius,*  it  is  true,  had,  for  a  short  season, 
been  labouring  there  with  faithfulness,  and  great  effect. 
His  connexion  with  the  city  was  transient.  But  he  was 
a  preparer  of  the  icay  to  the  efforts  which  ensued. 

For  the  work  of  giving  the  Gospel  a  permanent  and 
triumphant  location  here,  a  character  of  eminent  enter- 
prise was  required.  Most  persons  were  as  unfit  as  they 
were  unwilling  to  attempt  it.  Larned  was  selected  for 
it.  He  acquiesced,  and  was  soon  after  ordained  as  an 
evangelist,  for  missionary  labour  in  this  important  field. 
He  very  soon  set  out  on  his  journey  thither.  Penetrating, 
in  the  first  place,  under  the  authority  of  a  general  mis- 
sion, as  far  west  as  Detroit ;  he  then  went  directly  south, 
preaching  the  Gospel  as  he  proceeded  through  Ohio  and 

*  There  was,  in  many  points  a  peculiar,  and  very  striking  re- 
semblance between  these  lamented  servants  of  God,  who  have 
been  removed  so  soon  from  the  field  below  to  their  reward  on 
high.  It  was  this  resemblance  in  fervour,  boldness,  commanding 
eloquence,  and  even  in  the  nobility  of  their  personal  appearance, 
which  enabled  the  one  so  harmoniously  to  succeed  the  other  in  the 
enterprize  at  New  Orleans.— T/ic  Editor. 


294  BIOGRAPHY  OF 

part  of  Kentucky,  until  he  reached  Louisville,  of  the 
latter  State.  Then,  along  with  his  fellow-labourer  and 
friend,  the  Rev.  Jeremiah  Chamberlain,  he  left,  the  land, 
embarked  on  the  Ohio  river,  and  descended  it  and  the 
Mississippi  to  New  Orleans,  touching  as  he  went  at  the 
most  important  points  of  the  country.  He  reached  Or- 
leans in  good  season,  before  the  departure  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Cornelius,  so  as  to  derive  all  possible  benefit  from 
the  influence  which  he  had  already  acquired. 

The  arrival  of  such  a  man,  under  such  circumstances,, 
was  well  calculated  to  produce  an  extraordinary  im- 
pression. A  writer  in  the  Christian  Spectator,  who  was 
his  friend  and  fellow-student  here,  speaking  of  this  ini 
portant  event,  says :  "  On  his  first  arrival  in  that  city,  a 
general  and  unprecedented  interest  was  awakened  by 
his  preaching  ;  and  every  thing  seemed  to  indicate  that 
Providence  had  sent  him  there  to  produce  a  great  revo- 
lution in  the  character  of  New  Orleans.  The  uncom- 
mon majesty  with  which  he  exhibited  the  truths  of  the 
Gospel,  the  almost  magic  power  by  which  he  entranced 
and  rivetted  his  hearers,  drew  after  him  a  multitude 
composed  of  all  classes,  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest  in 
society.  It  soon  became  an  object  with  some  of  the 
most  respectable  and  influential  gentlemen  in  the  city, 
to  secure  his  permanent  settlement  among  them ;  and 
measures  were  accordingly  adopted  to  accomplish  this 
design.  Mr.  Larned  listened  to  their  proposals  ;  and,  as 
soon  as  v/as  convenient,  formed  a  Presbyterian  Church, 
of  which  he  consented  to  become  the  pastor." 

In  the  summer  of  1818,  he  made  a  visit  to  the  North 


REV.  SYLVESTER  LARNED.  295 

and  East,  not  only  with  a  view  to  escape  the  sickly  sea- 
son of  New  Orleans,  but  to  procure  materials  for  build- 
ing- a  house  of  worship.  During  this,  the  last  visit  he 
ever  made  to  his  native  region,  he  preached  in  most  of 
our  northern  cities,  and  left  an  impression  of  his  solemn 
and  overwhelming  eloquence,  which,  it  is  believed,  will 
not  soon  be  forgotten. 

In  the  autumn  of  this  year,  he  again  set  out  for  New 
Orleans,  Taking  his  route  through  the  middle  and 
western  States,  and  preaching  the  Gospel  as  he  went,  he 
again  embarked  at  Louisville,  and  reached  his  charge 
early  in  the  winter.  By  his  persevering  efforts  he  was 
enabled  to  prepare  for  the  reception  of  his  congregation  a 
spacious  edifice,  at  the  commencement  of  the  next  summer. 
During  this  season  (1819,)  he  retired  from  the  city  to  the 
German  coasts,  (in  its  vicinity,)  until  the  prevalence  of 
the  epidemic  had  ceased.  Shortly  after  his  return  to  his 
flock,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Wier,  formerly  of  New- 
buryport,  Mass. 

During  the  winter  of  1819-20  he  was  invited  by  the 
First  Presbyterian  church,  Baltimore,  to  succeed  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Inglis;  and  he  was  at  different  times  called  to 
Alexandria,  Savannah,  &c.  But  he  resisted  every  call, 
however  seducing,  and  resolved  to  devote  himself  to  the 
cause  of  Christ  in  Louisiana. 

It  is  highly  interesting  here  to  know  that  he  projected 
for  himself  a  plan  of  a  missionary  exploring  enterprize 
into  South  America,  as  soon  as  he  could  in  safety  leave 
his  people  for  so  long  a  time.  But  the  God  of  Heavdn 
had  differently  ordered.    When  the  sickly  season,  at 

B    b 


296  BIOGRAPHY  OF 

which  he  had  been  accustomed  to  retire  from  the 
ravages  of  death,  came  on,  he  resolved  to  remain  behind, 
and  (if  the  God  of  Providence  should  please,)  to  perish 
with  the  poor  of  his  people,  who  could  not  flee  the  city. 
Doubtless  his  soul  was  melted  at  the  thought,  that  while 
death  was  making  havoc  of  this  devoted  population,  none 
remained  behind  when  he  was  absent  to  point  the  dying 
sinner  to  the  Saviour.  The  reflection  must  have  moved 
him,  that  in  afiliction  this  hardened  people  might  be 
tender ;  and  the  suspicion  of  having  been  driven  by  fear 
to  fly  from  danger,  he  knew,  with  a  people  who  measure 
every  thing  by  courage,  might  have  injured  the  cause 
of  his  Master  more  than  even  his  life  would  benefit  it. 
Whatever  the  motive,  he  resolved  to  meet  the  issue  at 
his  post,  and  if  called  to  die,  to  die  upon  the  field. 

Until  August,  he  was  exceedingly  well,  and  high 
hopes  were  cherished  that  the  city  would  be  spared  the 
usual  visitation  of  malignant  fever.  But  they  soon  were 
awakened  from  these  illusive  hopes  by  its  sudden  ap- 
pearance in  the  most  awful  form.  Larncd  was  indefati- 
gable in  his  attentions  to  the  sick  and  dying.  It  was 
surprising,  and  was  made  a  subject  of  remark,  how  soon 
he  found  out  even  the  afflicted  strangers  in  the  city  who 
had  been  overtaken  by  this  destructive  malady. 

The  last  Sabbath  of  August  had  been  appointed  by 
him  as  a  day  of  public  humiliation  among  his  people, 
and  prayer  to  God  that  he  would  deliver  the  devoted 
city  from  the  awful  visitation  under  which  it  groaned. 
He  met  his  people  in  the  morning,  and  also  in  the  after- 
noon, of  that  solemn  day.     It  was  for  the  last  time  I   Be- 


REV.  SYLVESTER  LARKED.  297 

fore  its  close,  he  was  laid  prostrate  by  a  most  violent  at- 
tack of  the  fever.  It  soon  broke  his  strength;  it,  for  a 
season,  shook  the  powers  of  his  mind;  and  on  August 
31st  he  breathed  his  last  I  Such  was  the  wild  distrac- 
tion of  grief  and  wo  around  him,  that  scarce  a  fact  in 
regard  to  his  last  hours  has  been  treasured  for  the  world. 
When  the  delirium  of  dcatli  was  not  on  him,  he  was 
firm  and  collected.  When  most  aware  of  his  danger, 
he  was  most  assured  of  his  Saviour's  presence  and  power; 
and  in  the  language  of  the  writer  quoted  above,  "  He 
was  enabled  to  bear  his  dying  testimony  to  the  excel- 
lence of  that  religion  which  it  had  been  his  delightful 
employment  to  preach  to  others."  As  he  approached 
the  final  conflict,  he  was  calm  and  composed,  and  he  left 
the  world  with  the  prospect  of  entering  on  an  exceeding 
great  reward. 

His  death  cast  the  deepest  gloom  over  the  widowed 
city,  and  produced  a  strong  sensation  in  almost  every 
part  of  the  nation.  In  his  native  region,  the  public 
grief  was  strikingly  exhibited :  and  a  sacred  enthu- 
siasm still  kindles  there,  at  the  mention  of  his  name ! 

In  sketching  a  character  so  blended  and  peculiar, 
there  is  no  small  difficulty  in  adjusting  its  features  so  as 
to  be  just,  without  appearing  sometimes  extravagant,  and 
sometimes  severe.  Of  his  intellect,  it  may  be  said,  its 
most  striking  feature  was  active  power.  He  was  not 
remarkable  for  profound  thought,  or  for  very  accurate 
acquirement.  But  every  effort  he  made  on  every  subject 
to  which  he  chose  intensely  to  direct  liis  attention,  bore 
witness  that  this  was  not  owing  to  a  want  of  mental 


298  BIOGRAPHY  OF 

power,  but  of  mental  patience.  The  fervour  of  his  feelings 
often  made  his  mind  discursive.  His  imagination  was 
extremely  bold,  vivid,  and  impatient  of  control :  and  it 
is  probable  that  his  more  solid  qualities  suffered  from 
these  propensities.  It  was  in  truth  natural  for  him  thus 
to  be  seduced  by  powers  exerting  such  a  controlling 
influence  over  the  passions  of  men.  The  paths  of  cool 
inquiry  would  appear  a  circuitous  route  to  the  human 
mind,  to  him  who,  by  a  single  effort  of  irresistible  pathos, 
could  transfuse  his  spirit  through  every  auditor,  and 
break  the  heart  in  pieces  at  a  blow.  His  eloquence  was 
chaste,  ardent,  and  commanding.  If  it  had  a  fault, 
there  was  too  much  sentiment  in  it,  and  too  little 
thought;  and  the  discerning  hearer  was  sometimes 
called  to  regret  that  the  dress  of  a  manner  almost  un- 
rivalled was  not  always  filled  up  by  an  equal  power  and 
richness  of  matter.  When  he  first  appeared  as  a  Min- 
ister of  the  Gospel,  (as  he  himself  has  owned)  he  was  led 
to  bestow  too  much  attention  on  what  he  thought  most 
likely  to  attract  the  mass  of  men ;  we  allude  to  his  style  of 
writing,  and  mode  of  illustrating  divine  truth.  But  when 
he  became  a  settled  pastor,  he  found  that  eloquence 
would  not  feed  his  people.  A  great  revolution  imme- 
diately took  place  in  his  style  of  instruction.  He  be- 
came more  plain,  more  didactic,  and  evangelical;  and 
the  consequence  was,  that  while  they  who  had  been  at- 
tracted by  human  power,  were  displeased,  the  sheep  of 
the  fold  found  more  of  that  food  which  came  down  from 
above. 

His  piety,  though  sincere,  was  not  of  an  order  com- . 


REV.  SYLVESTER  LARNED.  299 

mcnsurate  with  the  other  features  of  his  character.  He 
was,  pcriiaps,  too  much  a  man  of  frames,  both  in  spi- 
ritual and  intellectual  tiiing-s.  He  depended  too  much 
on  feeling'.  When  roused,  he  was  remarkable  for  his 
power  in  prayer;  and,  whenever  he  spoke  in  public,  much 
of  the  eftect  he  produced,  was  by  a  strong  tide  of  feel- 
ing, which,  in  its  warm  flow,  melted  down  whatever  it 
touched. 

Sometimes  he  sunk  into  great  lethargy  and  inac- 
tion of  Christian  spirit ;  but  again  he  would  rise  to  a 
hoight  of  glowing  zeal,  and  long  continued  exertion,  in 
his  Master's  cause. 

His  natural  constitution  of  character  was  impulsive, 
and  somewhat  unstable,  and  might  be  expected  to  mani- 
fest itself  in  his  religious  life.  Probably,  too,  those  fluc- 
tuations of  feeling  to  which  all  Christians  arc  subject, 
were  more  exposed  upon  the  surface  of  a  character 
which  carried  with  it  no  power  or  purpose  of  conceal- 
ment, but  lived  out  every  emotion  to  the  eye  of  man. 
And  in  an  age  of  superficial  piety,  a  part  of  the  censure 
which  these  remarks  may  seem  to  involve,  attaches  it- 
self to  the  day  in  which  he  lived. 

Yet  there  are  written  on  the  hearts  of  all  his  Chris- 
tian friends,  many  sacred  evidences  of  his  Christian  cha- 
racter and  worth:  and  every  day  he  lived,  continued  to 
strengthen  their  confidence  and  exalt  their  hopes. 

The  strength  of  his  nerves  and  personal  courage  was 

surprisingly  great.     It  is  related,  that  among  his  friends 

in  New  Orleans,  he  had  one,  a  man  of  much  personal 

prowess  himself,  who,  in  a  fit  of  insanity,  to  which  he 

Rb  2 


300  BIOGRAPHY  OF,  6zC< 


was  subject,  formed  the  design  of  taking  Larned's  life. 
This  he  kept  a  profound  secret ;  and  Larned,  not  aware 
of  his  friend's  bewildered  state  of  mind,  was  one  day 
asked  by  him  to  take  a  walk  into  the  country.  He  con- 
sented, set  out,  and  had  walked  far  out  of  view,  when, 
to  his  amazement,  the  madman  drew  a  dagger  from  his 
breast,  and  in  a  furious  tone,  ordered  him  to  prepare  to 
die!  Larned  was  unarmed,  but  not  intimidated,  or  for- 
saken by  his  presence  of  mind.  Erecting  himself  be- 
fore the  armed  madman  in  all  the  majesty  of  his  bold 
and  striking  appearance,  he  exclaimed,  "  In  the  name  of 
the  Almighty,  I  defy  you."  His  power  of  voice  and 
manner,  and  his  undaunted  boldness,  disarmed  the  man 
at  once :  the  dagger  fell  from  his  hand:  and  he  led  him, 
like  a  harmless  child,  back  to  the  city  ! 

Such,  in  the  freedom  of  truth,  is  the  character  of  one 
of  the  most  interesting  and  extraordinary  young  men 
who  have  ever  appeared  in  our  country.  And  now  that 
he  has  been  cut  down,  who  will  meet  the  foe  in  the  field 
in  which  he  fell  ?  who  will  gather  the  scattered  flock, 
and  come  forth  in  that  city,  great  and  guilty,  to  the  help 
of  the  Lord,  to  the  help  of  the  Lord  against  the  mighty  ? 


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